SAA Reviews Alliances

According to businessweek, South African Airways CEO Monwabisi Kalawe has said that the airline will explore closer ties with local operators, whilst also reviewing the benefits of its Star Alliance membership. Kalawe, who took up his position on 1 June, said he has received messages from Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways, indicating they’re keen to explore “win-win relationships.”
He also said that he has plans to talk with Star Alliance CEO Mark Schwab in the coming months, to establish what SAA gains from its membership.
Kalawe said that there is a restructuring plan for state-owned SAA, which seeks to cut costs, refresh the fleet and focus on money-making routes, and this is due to go before South Africa’s cabinet.

Equatorial Guinea’s Punto Azul Launches

According to eturbonews, Equatorial Guinea’s newest airline Punto Azul has announced the commencement of its flight operations.
The port city of Bata will be the airline’s first domestic destination, with three daily frequencies, with the option of a fourth. Flights to Sao Tome and Principe will make up the airline’s first regional destination.
All Punto Azul flights will be operated by 48-seat Embraer Jet 145 aircraft, with a single cabin configuration. The airline has recently taken delivery of three of these jets and has an operator agreement with National Airways Corporation (NAC) of South Africa, while it works towards obtaining its own AOC.
The airline will fly twice a week from Malabo to Sao Tome and Principe. Though not formally announced yet, Punto Azul is expected to launch flights to Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon, among other key Central and West African destinations.

Air Uganda Adds New Flight

According to eturbonews, Air Uganda will start flying non-stop between Entebbe and Mogadishu, Somalia, initially three times a week from 8 July.
 This service will offer government officials, army personnel and a growing number of business people from Uganda the fastest way yet to reach Somalia.
 Air Uganda is also keenly eying Southern African destinations, and while official confirmation is still pending, Harare, and perhaps Lusaka have been mentioned as possible destinations.
A few weeks ago, Air Uganda received a third CRJ 200 aircraft to replace its last MD 87, which has been redeployed.

KQ to Increase Botswana Flights

According to gazettebw, Kenya Airways has taken the decision to increase the number of their flights from Nairobi to Gaborone by two, due to increased demand.
That’s because KQ has realised good growth on the route. “The introduction of the night flight to Gaborone comes as the airline aims to meet the rising demand for travel between the two cities,” said KQ Country Manager Juliet Zintambila.
The Kenya Airways network was recently expanded with three new destinations; Livingstone in Zambia, Blantyre in Malawi and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The new flight departs Gaborone at 00h50 and lands in Nairobi at 06h00.
 It will be serviced by the narrow body mid-range twin engine Embraer E190. Zintambila added that KQ has ambitions to fly directly to Maun and Francistown, and is currently assessing the feasibility.

Air Namibia Cancels Gaborone Route

According to southerntimesafrica, Air Namibia has suspended its flights to Gaborone in Botswana, due to low passenger volumes.
The Namibian national carrier introduced the route a year ago and initially operated three flights a week, before the flight schedule changed to include a fourth flight, when Air Namibia re-arranged its network.
Air Namibia General Manager Commercial Services Xavier Masule recently revealed that there is limited traffic on the route, and although they had frequent flyers, the levels were not sufficient.
 “We captured 86% market share, but this translates to a load factor of 35%, meaning that even if we had 100% market share, we would still have a load factor of less than 45%,” he said.
 According to Masule, for Air Namibia to break even at 50% load factor, they would need to increase fares by 106%. But, he also warned that fares are already too high to even consider increasing, given that passengers have the option of competitors via Johannesburg.
Air Namibia will, however, continue the Maun route, which they say is critical for the transportation of tourists from Botswana and Namibia.

Precision Air Increases Tanzanian Flights

According to wolfgangthome.com, Precision Air has announced that it will increase its daily flights from Dar es Salaam to Songwe Airport in Tanzania to ten frequencies a week, using ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft. Flights to Mbeya only commenced in January this year, initially four times a week, but were soon increased to daily as a result of rising demand. Precision Air is the preferred airline for Tanzanians flying beyond Dar, Kilimanjaro and Mwanza.

Qatar Suspends Seychelles Route

According to breakingnewstravel, Qatar Airways has announced that it will suspend its scheduled flights to and from the Seychelles, effective 1 September, for commercial reasons.
The last of the daily services operating between the airline’s Doha hub and Seychelles International Airport on Mahe Island, will be on 31 August.
Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker said the airline had informed the travel trade of the decision and that all efforts were being made to ensure travel agents, tour operators and individual travellers who had made bookings on the affected route, were re-located to other airlines or given a full refund.